“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12)
St Anne’s believes:
- Everyone has the right to be happy
- Everyone has the right to be an individual
- Everyone has the right to be safe
In school all bullying is dealt with very seriously, we hold regular student conferences for students to voice their views and opinions. Anti-bullying is a standing agenda item on the Student Council termly meeting to ensure that this is high profile for the pupils at all times.
The prefect team have health and wellbeing champions who support any students who may be facing certain challenges, such as:
- Problems within friendship groups
- Anxiety
- Concerns about challenging lessons
All Health and Wellbeing Prefects go through a rigorous training programme that develops and supports their listening skills and understanding.
Our safeguarding officers also complete a ‘student voice’ each term with a random selection of students and the information from this is fed back to the Senior Leadership team, if any concerns/issues are raised these are acted on and discussed at the next Anti-Bullying Conference.
At the first conference, students selected the following three stages and descriptions to illustrate the differences between thoughtless behaviour and bullying and to help all students have a clearer understanding of what may be happening.
STAGE 1 – Saying or doing something that is hurtful once, but they didn’t mean to be hurtful.
STAGE 2 – Saying or doing something that is hurtful on purpose, and they only do it once or twice.
STAGE 3 – Saying or doing something that is hurtful on purpose, and they keep doing it even if you ask them to stop.
The students decided on these stages, and on their meanings. and are displayed in each classroom and on the corridors.
There is a clear ‘ladder of consequences’ for pupils who violate these. The following flowchart has been inspired and designed by our antibullying ambassadors and a number of other students who attended our antibullying conference. There is an emphasis on educating our students, and restorative justice to prevent incidences escalating. Informing parents and carers at every stage is also a vital element to this flowchart to encourage support from home around such behaviours.
STAGE 1
Saying or doing something that is hurtful once but they didn’t mean to be hurtful
Pushing you on the corridor accidentally.
Leaving you out of something.
Making fun of you ‘as a joke’ but you’re upset by this
Getting hit by the ball but not on purpose
STAGE 2
Saying or doing something that is hurtful on purpose and they only do it once or twice
Hitting you ‘as a joke’ but you know it’s not meant that way
Calling you a name more than once
Having a fight or an argument
Swiping your tie
Kicking the ball at you on Purpose
STAGE 3
Saying or doing something that is hurtful on purpose, and they keep doing it even if you ask them to stop.
Pushes you or trips you on the corridor every day
Calls you names frequently verbally or via social media.
Trying to intimidate you, turning other friends against you so you’re on your own
What to do if you think you or someone you know is being bullied?
The Form Tutor should be the first point of contact for any student who feels they are a victim of bullying or thinks they may have witnessed it. Having said this, we do understand that a student may feel more comfortable telling another member of staff; this could be a class teacher, a Head of House or a member of the Pastoral Team. We also have the ‘Tell Us’ button link in the safeguarding section of the school website. This can be used to report any kind of concern, including bullying. The most important thing is that it is reported to someone as soon as possible.